SJB

House of Vege in Los Angeles, California
Jan 14 05

This place is fantastic. I go to it for cooking inspiration. It's so good that I really believe I could take omnivore friends here and they wouldn't notice that the veggie chicken and fish aren't the real thing.

As a strict whole food vegan who watches salt intake I tend to avoid veggie "meats". I've sampled them a few times at this place and like most veggie meats they strike me as too salty. "Meat" lovers might like it though.

I also avoid anything that's deep fried. The spring rolls are no exception, though in my former omnivore life I have to say that I've been to some "greasy spoon" type Chinese places in which the spring rolls are greasy throughout - at House of Vege (HOV) I think the rolls are in oil only very briefly.

I sense that HOV is pretty judicious in its use of oil in stir fries, in soup, etc. I don't get the feeling of excessive greasiness.

I think HOV is also fairly careful in its use of salt - Chinese cuisine is notoriously salty. The last time I was at one particularly well-known Chinese "bistro" restaurant I thought I would gag from all the salt in its food. Not a problem at HOV.

I also appreciate how brown rice is an option.

I just wish this place was a bit closer to us. Then again, maybe it's just as well that it's not, because I'd be wanting to eat there a heck of a lot more often!

House of Vege is located on the north side of Pacific Coast Highway in Lomita, just a bit east of the huge shopping center at Crenshaw.